KRU issues event guidelines for Kenya Simbas vs UAE clash
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 22.05.25. | 18:33
The announcement sparked immediate reactions from fans who felt the time was unrealistic
The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has released crucial event guidelines ahead of the much-anticipated friendly match between the Kenya Simbas and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), set for Saturday, 24 May at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi.
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To ensure a smooth fan experience, KRU has emphasised strict adherence to gate times.
Gates will open at 10:00 AM and close promptly at 1:00 PM, with no admissions allowed past 2:00 PM to avoid last-minute crowd surges.
“Please arrive early. We will not be admitting fans after 2:00 PM," the Union urged.
Traffic to the venue is expected to be heavy. Limited parking slots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will attract a parking fee.
Service times at the gates have been optimised to take less than 30 minutes, and KRU is urging fans to arrive on time and have their e-tickets ready for scanning to help maintain efficiency.
“Buy early, download your e-ticket in advance, and have it ready at the gate for faster access," the Union advised.
The announcement sparked immediate reactions from fans who felt the time was unrealistic.
“Dear Kenya Rugby, it’s just a friendly match. Wengine hata tumejua UAE kuna rugby this week (Some of us have known UAE have a rugby team this week). This is out of order, please!" Kelvin Mwangi commented.
His sentiments were echoed by Janet Mwai, who wondered why the rules were strict for a friendly match.
“After 2 pm!? Na mngekuwa mnahost HSBC? Mngesema by 6 am tukuwe uwanja (what if you were hosting HSBC...you could have told us to be at the venue by 6 am)!" she humourously posted.
Another fan, Rhadet Frank, insisted on ease and calmness.
“There is no hurry in Africa, buana," he posted.
The friendly fixture comes at a pivotal moment as the Simbas intensify preparations for the upcoming Rugby Africa Cup, which doubles up as the 2027 Rugby World Cup Qualifier.
The encounter will serve as a warm-up and is part of KRU's broader strategy to sharpen the Simbas ahead of their month-long high-performance tour in South Africa.
For the UAE, the fixture also holds significant value as they prepare for the Asian Cup scheduled later this year.
The Simbas are currently in camp, where their head coach, Jerome Paarwater, has assembled a squad of 50 players.
From this pool, a final team of 33 players will be selected to regroup on Monday, 26 May, for a brief pre-departure training camp before flying out on Wednesday, 28 May, to South Africa.
The second phase of the South African tour will run from Sunday 22 to Friday 27 June in Nylstroom, where the Simbas will link up with the Blue Bulls.
Here, the team is scheduled to play against the Bulls' Currie Cup squads on Tuesday and Thursday, offering critical match exposure ahead of the Rugby Africa Cup.
The winner of the RAC will punch a direct ticket to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, while the runner-up will face an additional hurdle via the pre-repechage playoff.
With the tournament expanding from 20 to 24 teams, the Simbas have a stronger chance of qualifying, but only if they rise to the occasion.
Kenya came agonizingly close in 2022, reaching the RAC final before losing to Namibia. A year later, the team finished fourth after falling 20-12 to Algeria in the third-place playoff.
